Accessories are any items that add charm and personality to a room -- or, as Bea Pila outs it, the icing on the cake. She recommends that about a third of your decorating budget should go toward the accessories, and they should fall into three categories: decorative, background and functional.
Decorative accessories chosen for the cowboy-theme nursery include lanterns on the wall (they could be functional, but they haven't been wired) and books (not just on shelves -- they're also used to form little platforms to raise some items and create different levels).
Background accessories are those that are decorative as well as useful. In the nursery, Pila shows a a blue coat rack (figure A) as well as a red wall cabinet (figure B), both of which provide storage and also serve as display space.
Functional accessories serve a definite purpose: a good example of a functional accessory for a nursery is the pad on the changing table. It adds color to the space and lightens the look of the dark wood, but it definitely serves a purpose. Towels are functional -- and Pila suggests making them even more attractive by rolling them and tying with rope (or ribbon or raffia) and storing in a basket.
Bedding is generally the focal point of a room (figure C). Pila has chosen a blue-denim bumper guard and bedskirt, which she has embellished with fabric taken from a set of bandanna-print sheets (figure D). The same fabric serves to cover throw pillows for the bed and rocking chair, and on the bed a matelasse pillow and sheets and pillows made of western-print flannel add further textural variations (figure E).
The wall above the crib features a staggered arrangement of silver-metallic Xs and Os, which add text and dimension to the space (figure F). On another wall, a charming clock with a rocking-horse design is set among a grouping of metal stars (figure G). (Pila suggests trying out such an arrangement on the floor first, starting with the largest item and placing the smaller ones around it until you've arrived at an arrangement you like. That way you won't have to make nail holes in the wall until you're ready.
An adorable rocking horse sits beneath the window, just waiting for a little buckaroo to come along and take a ride (figure H). And when the little guy gets tired, he can be rocked to sleep in the white rocker with its soft pillows of gingham and bandanna print (figure I). And while she rocks her sleepy cowboy, Mom can rest her feet on the thick, dark-blue hook-and-loop area rug underfoot.
Remember: When you're accessorizing a nursery, be creative and have fun. And let the accessories add personality to the room, providing stimulation to visitor and baby alike.
RESOURCES :
Treasures for Baby: Exquisite Nursery Decorations and Handmade Ribbon Keepsakes
Author: Ellie Joos
Sunset Ideas for Great Baby Rooms
Model: 0376010460
Author: Christine Olson Gedye
$12.95
Paperback
112 pages (January 2000)
Sunset Pub Company
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
Baby's Room: Create-a-Special
Model: 1574862049
Author: Barbara Finwall, Nancy Javier
Paperback
80 pages (July 2000)
Leisure Arts (Hot Off The Press, Inc.)
Website: www.craftpizazz.com
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